Flashing flashlight



J. E. STOKER ETAL FLASHING FLASHLIGHT Filed Oct. 30, 1953 INVENTORS AORNEY Nov. 23, 1954 kwith Asubstantially conventional Vflashlight partsto lin alconventional manner .for supplying a foolproofin positioningthe parts for fently preferred embodimentL United States Patent fhceFLASHING FLASHLIGHT James E. Stoker, East Springfield, and Donald L.Messenger, Girard, Pa.

Application ctober 30, 1953, Serial No. 389,403

v7 Claims. (Cl. 346-321) This 'invention relates to 'a novel flashingflashlight andnmore particularly to .afiashing attachment for useprovide animproved flashlight capable of. functioning either steadylight beam or an. intermittent fiashinglight.

Aprimary object of the presentinvention is to provide Ya `flashlight`having anovel .flashing unitfor producing an intermittent hashing lightespecially adapted for use in conjunction with the flashlight holder asdisclosed in our copending application Serial No. 389,409, led Getober30, 1953.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide ai'lashlighthavinU a flashing unit of extremely simple constructionassociated therewith and including a separate switch means lforenergizing the flashlight to produce a flashing light and which may bemoved to a secondary position enabling the flashlight to`be utilized ina conventional manner by the closing of a conventional flashlight switchfor providing a steady beam of light.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel flashlightthe movement of which is substantially closing an electric circuitthrough the flashing unit thereof.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafterbecome more fully apparent from the following description of thedrawing, illustrating a presthereof, and wherein:

Figure l is a longitudinal Aide elevational view, partly in section, ofthe improved flashlight;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view thereof taken substantially along aplane as indicated by the line 2 2 of Figure l and with the detachableflashing unit removed;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view looking toward theinner side of the lower portion of the flashlight casing as seen inFigures l and 2;

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view through the rear portion of theashlight taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 4 4of Figure l, and on an enlarged scale;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view, partly inelevation taken through a portion of the forward end of the flashlight,and

Figure 6 is a diaaramamtic view illustrating the electric circuit of theflashlight.

Referring more specifically to the drawing, the novel combinationflashlight in its entirety and comprising the invention is designatedgenerally 8 and includes a flashlight barrel or casing, designatedgenerally 9, adapted to house any desired number of conventional drycell oatteries 1d, mounted therein in a conventional manner, two ofwhich have been illustrated. The barrel 9 has an enlarged threadedforward end 11 constituting a part of the head thereof and an oppositethreaded end 12 which may be of slightly reduced diameter. Aconventional reflector 13 is disposed in the head portion 11electrically insulated from the barrel 9, as illustrated in Figure 5,and contains a conventional light bulb 14. of the type employed inflashlights, one contact of which is electrically connected in aconventional manner to the forward positive contact of the fcrwardmostbattery 1t), and the other contact of which is in electrical contactwith the reflector 13, as illustrated in Figure 6. Said reflector 13 isformed of an electrical conducting material and constitutes a part ofeach electric circuit of the flashlight, as will hereinafter bedescribed. A conventional flashlight switch 15 is mounted on the barrel9 and has one yand 25 which are insulated from said barrel.

2,695,403 Patented Nov. 23, 1954 'contact 16 thereof electricallyconnected to the barrel 9,

which is formed of electrical conducting material, and its other contact17 electrically insulated from the barrel V9 `and connected to thereflector 13'by a conductor strip 18,

V,convolution of the s rin Ztl bears a ainst the rear, negative endofthe rear dry cell battery l@ and makes electrical contact therewith. Astrip of electrical conducting niaterial 22 extends longitudinally alonga part of the rear portion of the barrel 9 and is disposed on the innerlside thereof and Velectrically insulated therefrom by a strip ofelectrical insulating material 23 which is disposed between theconductor strip 22and the barrel 9. The strips 22 and 23 are secured tothe barrel 9 by fastenings 24 One end of the conductor strip y22 isdisposed in the open rear end 12 and is spaced from an intermediate,adjacent convolution of the conductor spring 2li. rlhe insulating strip23 extends forwardly beyond the forward end of the conductor strip 22and has a forward portion disposed beneath a conductor strip 25, a rearportion of which is anchored in the barrel 9 by a fastening 27,corresponding to the fastening 25. The other end of the conductor strip26 yieldably bears against and makes contact with the reflector 13,similarly to the forward end of the conductor strip 13. The fastenings25 and 27 have studs 28 which project from the outer ends thereof andoutwardly with respect to the barrel 9 and which form mounting posts andelectrical conductors which engage in bores or recesses 29 in the endportions of a conventional flasher unit 31 of the type as disclosed inU. S. Patent No. 2,388,- 712. The posts 28 make electrical Contact withelectrical conductor portions 3i? which line the bores or recesses 29.

As best illustrated in Figure 4, a leaf spring 32 formed of electricalconducting material has one end secured by a fastening 33 to the outerside of an intermediate convolution of the spring 2l), which is locatedadjacent the conductor strip 22. The strip 32 extends circumferentiallyof said convolution and has an opposite outwardly bowed free end 34.

The forward end 11 of the barrel 9 preferably is closed by and supportsa lens 38, corresponding to the lens 38 as describedin detail ourcopending application, previously refered to, and which lens includes afront wall 39 formed of a clear transparent material, an outer side wall4t) and a rear wall 41, which walls 49 and 41 are preferably formed of acolored transparent or translucent maferial. The lens 38 which ispreferably formed of a plastic also includes a threaded inwardlyextending annular flange 42 which threadedly engages in the head portion11 and the wrench land portion 45. However, it is to be understood thata conventional flashlight lens and retaining ring could be substitutedfor the lens 38.

The flasher unit 31 constitutes a female unit or socket which isremovably applied to the two posts or prongs 28 similar to theattachment of a conventional electric socket to an electric plug, andsaid flasher unit 31 is supported by engagement with the prongs or posts28. The cap 19 of insulating material and the coil spring 20 and leafspring 32, carried thereby, constitute a switch of the auxiliary flashercircuit. When the cap 19 is tightened to its full extent on the threadedrear end 12 of the barrel 9, as illustrated in Figure l, the outwardlybowed free end 34 of the contact leaf spring 32 will be disposed inengagement with the conductor strip 22, as illustrated in Figures l and6 and in full lines of Figure 4, so that an electric circuit will becompleted from the coil spring 20 through the battery or batteries 1),bulb 14, reflector 13, strip 25. flasher unit 31, strip 22 and thespring 34 back to the spring 2f) for energizing the bulb 14. However,the unit 31 will cause an intermittent energizing of the bulb 14 toproduce a flashing light which will be emitted through the lens walls39, 40 and 41. This circuit is clearly illustrated in Figure 6,diagrammatically.

By backing olf the cap 19 from its fully tightened position of Figure 1,a portion of a complete turn, the leaf spring 34 is moved out of contactwith the conductor strip 22 interrupting the aforedescribed ashercircuit. When the spring portion 34 moves out of contact with theconductor strip 22, the resiliency of the spring 32 causes said portion34 to spring outwardly and into engagement with the inner surface of thebarrel portion 12, as illustrated in dotted lines in Figures 4 and 6.When thus disposed, the switch 15 can be operated in a conventionalmanner for energizing the light bulb 14, when said switch is closed, toprovide a steady beam as is conventional in flashlights. When theflashing circuit previously described is again desired, it is onlynecessary to fully tighten the cap 19 whereby the flashing circuit willbe completed and maintained until the cap is again backed ol aspreviously described. Thus, as the ashing light is usually employed inan emergency and where haste is required, the user is not required toadjust the cap 19 until the ashing circuit is established and can insureimmediate establishment of the flasher circuit by merely turning the capto a fully tightened position. Obviously, when the spring 32 is in itsdotted line position of Figure 4 and the conventional switch 15 is in anopen position, the flashlight is completely deenergized.

Obviously, the flashlight 8 may be of various sizes and may be suppliedwith current by one or any desired number of dry cell batteries 10.

Various other modifications and changes are likewise contemplated andobviously may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit or scopeof the invention as hereinafter delined by the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

l. In a ashlight of the character described, a cap of electricalinsulating material threadedly connected to the rear end of a ashlightbarrel of electrical conducting material and supporting a coil spring inelectrical contact with a dry cell battery of the flashlight andelectrically insulated from the flashlight barrel, an auxiliary iashingcircuit including a asher unit, said auxiliary circuit having electricalcontact with the flashlight bulb, and an electrical conductor elementforming a part ot said auxiliary flasher circuit electrically connectedto and carried by said coil spring and movable into and out of engagelment with another conductor element of the auxiliary circuit by rotationof the cap for energizing said auxiliary circuit to intermittentlyenergize the flashlight bulb when the cap is rotated to a position tocause said conductor element to engage said other conductor element ofthe auxiliary circuit.

2. In a flashlight as in claim l, said first mentioned conductor elementcomprising a leaf spring having one end secured to a convolution of thecoil spring and disposed on the outer side and circumferentiallythereof,

said leaf spring having a. free end spring biased into engagement withsaid last mentioned conductor element and being spring biased outwardlyinto engagement with the flashlight barrel When the cap is turned tomove the leaf spring to a position circumferentially spaced from saidlast mentioned conductor element to form an electrical connectionbetween the coil spring and the ashlight barrel.

3. A ashlight as in claim l, said irst mentioned conductor element beingdisposed relatively to the coil spring to engage said last mentionedconductor element when the cap is moved to a fully tightened position onthe rear end of the flashlight barrel.

4. in a flashlight as in claim l, said auxiliary hashing circuitincluding spaced conductor posts electrically insulated from one anotherand from the ashlight barrel and projecting outwardly from the ashlightbarrel, and said flasher unit having socket portions engaging said postsand electrically connected thereto for forming an electrical circuitthrough the flasher unit between said posts, said posts demountablysupporting the flasher unit on the flashlight and externally of theflashlight barrel.

5. ln a flashlight as in lclaim 4, said last mentioned conductor elementbeing electrically connected to one of said posts, and a third conductorelement of the auxiliary ashing circuit electrically connected to theother post and to the flashlight bulb.

6. In a llashlight of the character described, an auxiliary flashercircuit electrically connected to a llashlight bulb and electricallyinsulated from a flashlight barrel of electrical conducting material,said auxiliary circuit including a flasher unit demountably supportedexternally of the llashlight barrel, a capV of electrical insulatingmaterial threadedly connected to the rear end of the liashlight barreland supporting a coil spring of electrical conducting material incontact with a battery of the ashlight and electrically insulated fromthe flashlight barrel, and an electrical conductor element connected tosaid coil spring forming a part of said auxiliary flashing circuit andmovable with the coil spring by rotation of the cap into or out ofelectrical contact with another part of said auxiliary llashing circuitfor completing an electric circuit to the ilashlight bulb when saidconductor element is in engagement with said last mentioned part of theasher circuit.

7. In a flashlight as in claim 6, said conductor element being springbiased into engagement with the flashlight barrrel when moved to aposition circumferentially spaced from said last mentioned part of theauxiliary flashing circuit for interrupting said auxiliary flashingcircuit and for completing an electrical connection between said coilspring and the flashlight barrel.

No references cited.

